Arsenal have reportedly received a major boost in pursuit of Andre Silva, who looks set to call it quits at AC Milan after just one season.

According to a report by Italian publication Calciomercato, Jorge Mendes has met with AC Milan general manager to discuss the future of his client Andre Silva, who has struggled in his first season at San Siro. The Portuguese striker looks set to be on his way out of the club, with Arsenal and Everton interested.

Andre Silva has long been regarded as one of the most promising young strikers in Europe, having done wonders in two seasons with Porto. His progress in Portugal led many clubs, including Arsenal, to circle around the player before he eventually joined AC Milan, who were heavy spenders in the transfer market last summer.

But, like the Rossoneri, the season hasn’t quite gone to plan for Silva, who is yet to get off the mark in Serie A after 16 appearances. To make matters worse, he is no longer the first-choice striker at San Siro, with Patrick Cutrone and Nikola Kalinic ahead of him in the pecking order.

With regular first-team football no longer guaranteed, Silva and his agent Jorge Mendes are pondering over a way to end his stint at Milan in the coming summer transfer window. If so, Arsenal as well as Premier League rivals Everton are likely to launch an attempt to sign him.

Arsenal calling? (Photo courtesy - Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)
Arsenal calling? (Photo courtesy – Marco Luzzani/Getty Images)

Arsenal hold a long-standing interest in the player, having reportedly attempted to sign him last summer as well. The renewal of interest ahead of the opening of the 2018 summer transfer window comes as a bit of a surprise, though.

The Gunners already had Alexandre Lacazette before they signed Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang in the January window. With Danny Welbeck an option as well, Arsene Wenger already has three strikers at his disposal, meaning things are unlikely to improve drastically for Silva at Arsenal, even if reports of Lacazette’s possible exit are true.

An alternative for the Portugal international, though, could be Everton. The Toffees, like Milan, spent heavily last summer only to see that the spendings haven’t yielded positive results. A major factor in their poor performances has been the absence of a prolific striker, with neither Oumar Niasse nor Dominic Calvert-Lewin managing to remain consistent.

Cenk Tosun hasn’t settled quickly at Goodison Park either, meaning Everton’s need to sign a striker has become urgent once again. Thus, Arsenal and Everton are set to indulge in a head-to-head battle, with Jorge Mendes holding talks over Silva’s future with Milan general manager Marco Fassone.

As per the report, Milan are open to selling Silva as well, although they would like to recoup as much of the €38 million they shelled out for him last summer as they can. It now remains to be seen if Silva finally makes his way to Arsenal, or if Everton or some other club swoop him away.

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